*OFFICIAL* Alienware Area-51M R1 Owner's Lounge

Until there is an actual picture, there is no 8 heat pipe version. Dont buy Orwellian math .

 

I'm starting to think there is only one heatsink? Maybe the higher configs just have side exhausts which some of the lower end configs don't?

 

So far everyone has received (that have shared pictures) the same heatsink. And everyone's has had side exhausts. 1 person claims to have "8" heat pipes, but no picture has surfaced.

Perhaps the unrealesed RTX 2060 has something different?

 

Could it be all cooling configs are the same. There is one shared heatpipe on all the pics I know of. So it comes just down to how you count the pipes, i.e. count the shared heatpipe as two or one pipe.

 

Not really, there are pictures from a German forum with 2080/9900k with 7pipes and Sven said his friend got 7 pipes with 9900k

I wonder if depends from order conf, because there are 2 models that only differ in storage, and if you upgrade in the cheapest conf (3148 + 90 = 3238) will be the same setup as the highest one (3799), that’s a difference of 560, if not I don’t understand why another conf they charge over 500 when you can have in other same componentes for less price. My only thinking is last configuration is so expensive and also bring the 8pipes heatsink (1 shared) while others just gonna have the 7 pipes, but is just a guess.

 

I was wondering how the 51m performs with only one AC adapter plugged in? I'm thinking about getting one of these but if I take it somewhere to do some work but not gaming, can I get by with one AC adapter?

 

You can game on 1 power adapter too. 330w is enough o deliver good performance in AAA titles with some bells and whistles turned down

 

Oh man, this confuses me completely. Was nearly pulling the trigger but now I wait because this price difference is strange. Can we PLEASE see a picture with these 8 pipes?

 

Just did the test on Dell.ca website and for 100% the exact specs, there is a 200$ difference between the highest end configuration and the first configuration (Same specs) so maybe the $$ difference is for the heatsink?

 

Found a picture with a different heatpipe design:

 

Different than what? That is the one everyone has been getting. The only different pic is the one from CES which still only has 7

 

Matter of fact.

Model : na17a51m_s1e & na17a51m_s2e = 5049,99$
Model : na17a51m_s3e & na17a51m_s4e = 5249,99$

All with the same specs (9900k - RTX 2080 - 144hz screen - 16GB Ram - 512GB RAID 0 (2x 256GB PCIe M.2 SSDs) + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) )

Why the differences in price?

 

This is VERY typical of Dell's configuration pages. They almost never match up. I wouldn't stress about it. Just make shure you get the best price and haggle before buying

 

Can't confirm anything really. My laptop came with a 7pipe but so have others with the 9900k. The 8pipe may be a marketing thing that they phased out cause of cost or whatever. The 7 pipe seems to work well but I'd like anything that could work better just cause I want the best.

 

Hello everyone. I have the 9900k with 2080 configuration, i will take it apart later this evening and post pictures of the heat-sink in mines.

 

I'm currently on the chat with Dell and the sale rep is going to contact the product team in order to get confirmation.
I sent him picture of the 7 heatpipe heatsink and picture of the 8 heatpipe heatsink.

At first he told me : From what I can see here the 1st picture you sent might be sporting the 2070 video card and hence 7 heat pipes, but the RTX 2080 should have 8 heat pipes with an exhaust, but we are still in the process of getting that verified

When i told him people with RTX 2080 / 9700k - 9900k received the 7 heatpipe heatsink he was just as confused as we are and escalated the issue to the product team.
Hopefully we get an awnser soon.

 

Lol this is just worst than a cheap Kickstarter but in expensive,

At this point wouldn’t surprise me anything XD

 

Here is a pic I found showing the "8 pipe verson". It is just an extended pipe leading to the cpu heatsink. I cannot tell which is better. I still have not seen a picture showing 8 REAL pipes.

 

So the rep just got back to me :


11:52:46 AM Agent Mrittunjoy_C
so I just got a confirmation from the team that the top end model gets 8 pipes because of the 9th Generation Intel® Core™ i9-9900K processor offering on it


The product team is supossed to get back to me by email.

 

Haha this is hilarious so they told you every shipped 9900k/2080 has the wrong heatsink? O.O

 

Pretty much ... yeah

I'll try to dig for a definitive answer.

 

Yea, that is the CES model that went around to reviewers. There will be not a big difference between heat dissipation. That extended heat pipe in the front has been replaced by a much wider short one. The shared 90 degree (angle) heat pipe in the back has been replaced with a narrower one. The 2 pipes over the CPU die look very slightly wider.

Overall the shipping 7 pipe heat sink should perform slightly better in combined loads with a little less shared heat.

The CES version looks like it benefits the GPU a little more.

 

Btw, here is the link to the service manual showing the lower end heatpipe version: https://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/alienware-17-area51m-laptop_service-manual_en-us.pdf

Wondering if they just modified the retail heatpipe design to cut costs and the design they showed at CES was abandoned.

Also interesting: The display seems to be only exchangeable as a whole including the lid, maybe glued together for that slim look ;-)

 

Had the same idea ... mhm... most realistic option in my opinion.

 

The best I've seen so far is from this post. It shows 2 versions: "8" where both of the fans cool four pipes and "7" where one of the fans cools only three pipes. It is unclear if the "8" version made it to commercial production. I almost wonder if the "8" version was for reviews...

Homer

 

Your counting like Dell now lol . In those very pictures, both versions, both fans cool 4 each. #4 is just not tucked under the fins and it is indirect

 

I had the same experience when I was ordering the AW17R5 about a year ago. Because they could not understand what I was telling them, I put 2 Alienware's in my basket with the same specs and a £300 price difference. Basically I realised that you pay a premium when you select the top of the range device, and if possible you can choose a cheaper base device and configure it with the specs you need.

 

That’s why it’s best to just call and get what you want vs build online. And you’ll get a better deal.

 

Isn't the lower left fan cooling only three on the bottom edge and the same one twice on the bottom and left?



Homer

 

I was mocking Dell. By using their same crazy logic

2+2=5

 

Hello everyone. Here are some pictures of my heat-sink. 9900k with 2080

 

Shooo! Hey I'd accept an rma for 15% off. Very nice.

 

Where’s the heatsink? I just see a screenshot from your laptop screen.

 

Hello, my apologies. Pictures are added now.

 

What can we call these designs? The one people seem to be receiving is "Area 51m Known Shipped Heat Sink" and the other "Area 51m CES Heat Sink"?? That avoids the whole 8 heatpipe description as neither design has 8 single heatpipes.

 

You also recieved the “7-pipe” heatsink.

I don’t think anyone is gonna get the CES “8-pipe” heatsink.

“CES” heatsink works fine

 

It could very well end up being a miscommunication of expectations in that the early CES models did not end up being the same as actual production models. But if Dell/AW is telling people they should be getting the "CES Heat Sink" design and that is what is supposed to be, then that is a whole other matter unto itself.

 

My guess? The CES design was meant for reviewers to push the envelope or have cooler (lower temps in this case) reviews and the Production design was cheaper and will top out with stock clocks.

Homer

 

That wouldn’t make sense since the Area-51M product page mentions 8-pipe heatsink on the highest-end configs.

It would also make their product look worse if they put a weaker heatink on the top config.

I think this has to do with something really stupid just like how everyone had their orders cancelled due to a power cord.

Although we don’t know if the CES heatsink actually performs better.

Even the Chinese video mentions that their 2080+9900K is missing the 8-pipe heatsink from CES.

 

Hello everyone. I am going to call customer service about the heat-sink issue. I will also send a DM to Mr. Azor about the issue. Will update everyone.

 

Any word if Windows Hello is going to be magically enabled with this?

 

Waiting for QHD so hopefully I won't be a beta tester on that system also.

 

A Dell product manager just called me and said the following (He had the 7 heatpipe heatsink vs 8 heatpipe heatsink picture on hands) :

Any order with a 9900k will get the upgraded Heatsink with 8 heatpipe. (Regardless of the GPU)
Any 8700k-9700k will get the 7 heatpipe heatsink version. (Regardless of the GPU)

He also told me : If you know anyone who ordered a 9900k CPU area-51M and received a 7 Heatpipe heatsink, tell them to contact customer support now so they can get their Heatsink fixed.

 

Thank you, we look forward to your information.

 

Well I hope mine comes with the 8 pipe. I just got a shipping confirmation that I should have mine on Monday.

 

This is going to cause a storm.....

 

Wow, if these forums are of any indication, there are going to be a ton of laptop swaps.

 

Man ... i just don't know what to think of Dell anymore ....
I've bought like 7-8 laptop from them, 3 super high end monitor and i've always had bad customer support but never to this level.

We're talking about 3-5k Laptop and they can't even communicate right ... it's beyond stupidity.

 

Still only 7 pipes if you look on top of the heatsink Not all look on the underside. And it seems people love my nice pict from Jan 12. Maybe put up a own thread for the Heatsink mess. Then post the link over to Azor/Umar/Alienware on Twitter/FB.

 

Both pictured heatsinks would cost just about the same to produce in the quantities we are taking about for this product.

Anyone who gets the "wrong" one should consider carefully if they want to go though a RMA or hellish heatsink swap for minimal if any change in temps.